Police stop attempt to expand encampment outside Manitoba legislature
Winnipeg police stopped an attempt by protesters Monday to enlarge an encampment that has been on the front lawn of the legislature for months, while the provincial government confirmed that some people attached to the camp have been recently arrested.
The encampment was set up in spring and has been adorned with signs and flags highlighting a variety of issues, from the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools to COVID-19 restrictions to conflict in the Middle East.
Originally there was one teepee. A second was added in the summer. The protesters had planned to build a third Monday and put out a call on social media for supporters to help them build a "law lodge."
When they arrived at the front entrance to the legislature grounds, they were met by a line of more than two dozen officers. Police vehicles, including two wagons each capable of carrying several people, were parked nearby.
"All you cops should go home and study the law," one protester told police.
"Go home to your families, go home to your children," said another.
Two people were seen being led away from an area near the encampment by police. The Winnipeg Police Service would not comment on whether any arrests were made, but Manitoba Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said there have been arrests recently.
"Over the past several weeks there has been an escalation of security concerns on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature," Goertzen said in a prepared written statement.
"These include verbal assaults and threats to staff, visitors and tourists to the building. During this time, security services have observed individuals in possession of weapons, body armour and military-style clothing. Public safety concerns prompted some arrests over the past few weeks."
A man trying to carry in a large teepee pole Thursday afternoon was turned back. Another pole that had been brought in earlier in the day was carried away by another protester after discussion with police. The standoff dissolved soon after.
The Progressive Conservative government has been faced with encampments since last summer. The first one, which is ongoing on the east lawn of the grounds, is in response to the discovery of unmarked graves at residential school sites.
In the winter, a group of truckers and their supporters parked on the street in front of the legislature for about four weeks before provincial conservation officers moved in and took away equipment.
The government passed a law in the spring that forbids encampments on the legislature grounds and bans people from supplying generators, firewood and other goods.
People who break the rules can be evicted from the grounds and face fines of up to $5,000.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.